Caps get it handed to them

For your first post on "All We Do Is Puck," I will focus on what the puck happened in the Caps/Thrashers game.

The Washington Capitals lose 5-0 on the road against the Atlanta Thrashers. Against a team who is second in the league in 3rd period goals allowed, the Caps were not able to pull anything against the usually struggling defense of the Thrashers. The Caps sure weren't the only team to get their asses handed to them tonight, as the Chicago Blackhawks lost 7-2 to the Calgary Flames (ouch!) and the New York Rangers were defeated 5-1 by the Colorado Avalanche.

Granted, the Caps have played poorly in their last game in Atlanta for the first game of the season in a 4-2 loss. The Caps also struggled mightily in the last two Thrashers games at home, winning 4-3 in OT after a comeback effort, and winning a wacky 6-4 match earlier this week. Of course though, none of them takes the cake like this one.

Bruce Boudreau, believing he is making some kind of magic trick, switches up the lines about 500 times a game, much less throughout a period of games. Well, tonight proved he was no Houdini, clearly getting no results on the board.

It's not like the Caps played THAT badly either tonight. Braden Holtby, who I say should become the Caps backup netminder, made some small rookie mistakes that resulted in 3 goals on 7 shots. Such mistakes included lunging after a puck about 5 feet from the crease, and not watching the player with the puck. The defense probably did a better job tonight than they did Wednesday night against the Sabres.

This game was just one of those games. The Caps clearly looked like they just didn't really care and were just looking forward to tomorrow night's matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers at home. Throw-away game much?

The Capitals are arguably "the worst-best team in the NHL" this season, having only less than a handful of definitively won games. When they do win, it looks like a fat kid trying to run to the top of a hill, and making it to that very top just before they pass out. I don't know. People say take the two points and run, but I'm pretty sure that won't get the Caps further than they've been in the playoffs.

Yes, there goes that word again: playoffs. People say, "They'll turn it on in the playoffs. They'll peak later in the year. You don't want to peak too early after all." But the question is, do you want to suck until you get to the playoffs?

That's what nobody wants to hear or talk about in Caps Nation, because it's been talked about, and people get high-up in emotions about it. Who wants to complain about their team all day after all? Caps fans should not be mistaken with Cubs fans, or Leafs fans for that matter.

Nonetheless, it'll be on their minds. A proper attitude might get you somewhere, but I'm going to say it again and again: there are pieces the team needs before people can legitimately talk about playoffs. Package: Varlamov and Fleischmann.

Awww crud! One more thing: Alex Semin's point streak comes to an end after tonight.

But not to worry. I'm not one of those people who like to complain about their team after one game! So before I pass total judgment on the Caps, I'd like to see some trends. So meet me at The Hockey Writers tomorrow for that.

For the Caps' sake let's hope there's less "pucking" around in their own zone against the Flyers. We all know what happened to them last game.... *channel inner 1974 type offense*

Hey! I've been gone but...

Hey readers of Crashing the Net! I'm sorry, I've dissed you guys again. I haven't written here for a while, as hockey season has started so I've been on The Hockey Writers for most of my time. Any other time has been spent in class at American and working at the Washington Post, as many of you all are familiar with now.

Aside from THW, classes and the Post though, I've gotten a nice opportunity to write a story for another publication. I'm sure you've heard of the good folks at USA Hockey Magazine before, right? Well I'm doing a nice little story for them that I should be finished with by next week on the 8th of November.

"What's it about," you ask? Well, remember last December where I wouldn't tell you all about the Fort DuPont story? This year...

I'M NOT TELLING YOU EITHER!

It's all out of love though, and once it's published, I will redirect you to the original publication of the story. I'm just doing a lot of running around and it's hard to have a moment like this to sit down and go on here (after all, this is all-nighter time anyway).

So I look forward to seeing it done, and ready to share. But for now, sit tight until the story is complete, and probably read the latest at TheHockeyWriters.com where I wrote my last piece on the Caps' recent road trip.

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People are knocking the Capitals for winning 2 out of 3 games on this trip, but as I was talking to the Goalie Guild's Justin Goldman, we agreed that any hockey team's goal is to go at least .500 on a road trip; especially on one as long distance-wise as this last one across timezones. For Washington to have to play in Carolina as hard as they did, and then in less than 12 hours play a trap-defense team on bad ice in another time zone is a lot for any hockey player of any caliber.

It's a dumb argument considering the day after the Caps played like crap, they went and kicked the Calgary Flames out of their own building 7-2. It was very fun to watch while out on Halloween trips as well.

But hey, you're either kissing ass when you praise the Caps when they do well, or you're too harsh on them when they play poorly. That's the view of people, especially the Caps own fans, when writers report what they saw. I saw upside from the trip, and all of a sudden, I'm being too positive O_o... Everyone is afraid of being the honest one, and would rather remain skeptical for no reason, just to be safe when the Caps, in fact, lose it all. However, I recommend doing this NOT at the expense of seeing the team from all sides. So folks loosen up... it's only been 11 games this season!

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And congrats to the San Francisco Giants for defeating the Texas Rangers four games to one in the World Series... too bad I only watched one game because Texas wouldn't make it interesting. Hmph. Oh well... Red Sox 2011!!!!!